Chapter 6

Lily closed her eyes, and tears slid down her face. "I... I didn't fight back. I betrayed Lord Graham, but I had no other choice.

"A month later, they said I was pregnant. The whole house celebrated. Mrs. Graham gave me whatever I wanted, and Lord Graham treated me like a treasure.

"I finally got everything I'd wanted: status, favor, and security. After the first child came a second, then a third.

"Richard said the more, the better. That way no one would ever get suspicious. He said once his children had secured their place as heirs.

"He'd give me money, fake my death, and send me far away. He said he wouldn't treat me badly."

What a perfect plan. Every move led to the next, and he had everyone dancing to his tune, including his idiot brother.

"And Charles never suspected a thing?" I asked.

Lily said, "No. He was very confident in himself. And Richard was his own brother, they did look somewhat alike.

"When the children were born, everyone said they looked like the Grahams. Who would've thought it was still a Graham, not that Graham?"

A bleak smile appeared on Lily's face. Yeah. Who would've thought? The sons Charles treasured were the greatest betrayal of his life, delivered by his beloved brother and the woman he trusted.

"Then Richard's fall from the horse..." I narrowed my eyes.

Lily shook her head frantically. "I don't know. It really had nothing to do with me. At the christening party, Lord Graham said he'd divorce you and make me his legal wife.

"I was pleased with myself then, but when Richard heard it, his face turned ugly. He dragged me off somewhere secluded and questioned me.

"He asked if I was trying to make it real and actually become the Lady of Graham family. He scared me, and I said I wouldn't dare.

"He warned me to stay in line and remember who I was. He said I was nothing more than a tool for bearing children.

"The children carried the Graham name, but as their mother, I'd never get a say in anything. After that, he stormed off in a rage.

"And then... then the news came that he'd fallen from his horse."

I understood. Richard had panicked. He was afraid Lily, his pawn, would slip out of his control.

He feared even more that the truth would come out, that he'd been eyeing his brother's title and sleeping with his brother's woman. So he lost his cool, and the accident happened while he was riding.

What goes around comes around. Every clue had connected at last.

I looked at Lily sprawled weakly on the floor. There wasn't a ripple left in my heart. She was tragic and pathetic, but even more hateful.

For wealth and comfort, she'd done something this filthy, turned Graham family upside down, and dragged me through four years of hell. I wasn't going to let her die that easily.

"Write down this confession word for word." I pulled out the parchment and sealing wax I had prepared. "When you're done, sign it and seal it."

Lily stared at the red sealing wax as if she were staring at her own blood. Her hand shook as she took up the pen.

Half an hour later, a detailed confession lay before me, complete with her neat handwriting, signature, and red wax seal.

I carefully folded it and tucked it into my robe. This was my sharpest weapon, the thing that could send both her and Richard into a pit they would never crawl out of.

Lily crawled over on her knees and clutched at my skirt. "Margaret... no, Lady Margaret. I did everything you said. Please, leave me a way out.

"Please leave the children a way out too."

I lowered my eyes and looked at her, letting out a soft laugh. "A way out? Lily, the moment you climbed into Richard's bed.

"Your way out was already gone."

I lifted my foot and slowly kicked her hand off my skirt, inch by inch. "Hazel."

Hazel replied, "Yes, Lady Margaret."

I said, "Escort Lady Lewis and the three children to Tranquil Court in the far west wing.

"Without my order, no one is to visit them, and none of them are allowed to step outside that courtyard.

"Food, clothing, and everything else will be given at the same standard as the lowest servants in the house.

"If they resist, punish them by house rules on the spot."

Lily's eyes flew wide open with despair and terror. She shrieked. "No... no. Margaret. You can't do this to me.

"I was forced into this too. I'm a victim too."

I didn't spare her another glance. I only turned around coldly. "Shut her up and drag her away."

"Yes, Madam," Hazel said.

Hazel called in two sturdy housemaids. They stuffed a rag into Lily's mouth, then dragged her and her three bastard children out together.

The room quickly went quiet again. Only the candle flame still flickered, a silent witness to the ugly drama that had ended.

I stood beneath the corridor and looked toward the horizon. The night was dark now, but dawn was coming soon.

Richard.

You're next.

*****

After dealing with Lily, I didn't rush to go after Richard. A wounded venomous snake only shows its weakest spot when it thinks it's finally safe.

I first wrapped Lily's confession in oiled paper and hid it somewhere absolutely secret in the house. Then I spent a full two days going through every household account.

If I hadn't checked, I never would have known. What I found was staggering.

These past few years, Emily had handed control of the household to Lily, and Lily had joined forces with several estate managers to embezzle a huge sum of money.

The fields, storefronts, and country estates were all a mess. I said nothing, only sorted every cooked ledger one by one and memorized the names of the people involved.

Those records were all chips I could use. And they would also become the blade I used to establish my authority.

On the third day, I decided the timing was right. I changed into a simple, elegant dress, brought no maids, and went alone to Richard's courtyard.

His courtyard was heavily guarded, all of them men from Eleanor's Estate. They looked surprised to see me, but still bowed respectfully. "Lady Margaret."

I gave a small nod. "How is Richard feeling today?"

The guard replied, "His leg has been treated, but... his mood hasn't been very good."

I sneered inwardly. Of course he felt like hell. Guilty people always do. "I'm going in to see him."

"This..." The guard hesitated.

"What?" My eyes turned cold. "I am the Lady of this house. Do I not even have the right to visit Richard?"